Whether you’re worried about your children, pets, or just the environment in general, it is becoming increasingly popular (and important) to find eco-friendly “green” alternatives to the standard household cleaners.

You’ve probably noticed warning labels on certain cleaners, such as oven cleaner or toilet bowl cleaner.

Obviously these substances should not be ingested and many should also not come in contact with your skin at all. There is also a threat of creating toxic gas if you accidentally combine two substances; you may scoff and think, “I would never combine two cleaning liquids!” but something as simple as cleaning your toilet with a combination of chlorine and a standard toilet bowl cleaner can actually blend to create toxic chlorine gas.

Green Alternatives

The best way to protect yourself from the negative effects of these chemicals is to remove them from your household completely. However, you still need to clean! The best substitution is some homemade, “green” alternatives. Not only will they save you money but they could potentially save your life or the lives of your little loved ones. So (responsibly) empty your cupboards of those chemicals and pick up these ingredients instead:

• White Vinegar (cuts grease and grime, lifts stains, and removes odors)
• Baking Soda (deodorizes and remove stains)
• Hydrogen Peroxide (antibacterial and antiviral – great for disinfecting)
• Borax (deodorizes, disinfects, and removes stains)
• Essential oils (many have great antibacterial properties and they add a great smell!)

With these ingredients on hand, you will be able to create a variety of different cleaning supplies.

For example, for an easy all-purpose cleaner: in a large spray bottle, mix ¼ cup white vinegar with two tablespoons of baking soda (or one tablespoon of borax) and a few drops of either tea tree or eucalyptus essential oils. Fill the rest of the bottle with water and shake the mixture to combine before using!

If you really want to disinfect (i.e. cleaning the toilets or floors), spray 3% hydrogen peroxide right onto the surface and then scrub/rinse the area as normal.

You’re already interested in “going green” so there’s no better time than now to make the change! With the ingredients above, you should be able to clean all the surfaces of your house without worry about polluting your air or your body.